Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

"........."

Similar messages kept reaching Vivian's ears, but she gritted her teeth and ignored them, running towards the west gate without stopping, clutching the black coat in her hand.

Fireworks continued to be set off in the city, and spiritual energy surged throughout the city, burning down houses and even reaching the royal palace. Police were arresting mortals who were casting spells, which is why the capital was in such a state of chaos.

Moreover, just like the carnival, all sorts of things were happening in the city: civilians clashed with the army, and some unscrupulous people took the opportunity to rob and loot. The wonderful carnival had turned into a carnival of crime.

She also heard the explosion and guessed that it was related to the Imperial Advisor.

“It must be a prison…the prisoners caught by the Inquisition will be taken there…” Vivian thought stubbornly.

Why was she so obsessed with him? Vivian didn't know. Perhaps her admiration for the Imperial Preceptor hadn't faded, or perhaps she couldn't accept the fact that there was still a chance. She didn't believe that person would die like this, especially since she hadn't even handed the clothes to him herself.

The area around the West Gate was filled with endless bungalows. When she looked up, the most conspicuous Tartarus prison had disappeared, but smoke continued to rise from the site of the former prison. When she arrived, she found the place in chaos, with soldiers dispersing nearby residents.

A shirtless man leaped from above the prison, moving with incredible speed, each step landing on a bungalow as he rapidly approached. Soldiers were still running around, most in a state of panic, unaware of what was happening. The man stood out starkly against this backdrop.

"That is……"

Vivian immediately noticed the man, and the man noticed her as well. In the next moment, she felt a whooshing sound, and the man leaped down from the bungalow like a small mountain.

Although the person wasn't dressed in black, she could still recognize him at a glance from his figure and aura; he was the Imperial Advisor.

"Vivian."

The man frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled as to why she was there, but he quickly noticed the black trench coat in the girl's hand.

Those were clothes that she had once asked a nobleman in the palace who controlled the fabric industry to make for her. She thought it was too late to take them, but Vivian brought them to her.

He approached Vivian, his face expressionless. Compared to when he wore the black robe, he lacked gentleness, refinement, and patience. From the moment he was captured by the Inquisition, he was no longer the high and mighty Grand Preceptor. Yet Vivian still recognized him and even brought him clothes. The man didn't know why, so he simply asked, "Is there anything you want to ask?"

His gaze wasn't sharp, but when his eyes fell upon her, Vivian's body still trembled. She did have many questions, such as whether he was wronged, whether the turmoil in the city was related to him, what exactly was going on, and who he really was.

However, Vivian already knew the answer when she saw him. She remained silent, simply offering her hands and saying, "Your clothes."

She didn't know if the man would take the clothes. Perhaps he would think she was a spy sent by the Twin Towers and ruthlessly tear the clothes to pieces on the ground. That would be more realistic, wouldn't it? But Vivian remained silent, stretching out her hands and holding the clothes in front of him.

To her surprise, the man did not refuse her kindness. He took her clothes with one hand and quickly draped them over his shoulders, the movement flowing smoothly and seemingly without any hesitation.

I'm leaving. They don't know I'm here yet, but they'll find out soon. If you don't want to have any contact with me, you'd better leave quickly too.

The man turned around, put on the clothes she had given him, and walked toward the carriage.

The girl was somewhat shocked and seemed not to have reacted yet, but looking at the figure in black from behind, she still asked the question.

Can I tell you your name?

The man glanced at her one last time, then looked away and boarded the carriage at the city gate.

Kyle Domingo

Amidst the rolling wheels, only this one name drifted away in the air, eventually settling into the dust.

Crimson clouds painted a corner of the sky red, the curtain of night descended upon the sky, and in the afterglow of the setting sun, wisps of smoke rose from every household.

War always seemed distant to the city's inhabitants, much like the lofty figures of the Vatican—something they heard about but never truly felt. The residents were accustomed to a peaceful life, but they still knew the world was in turmoil from passing merchants. As a commercial hub, Dorgon was always well-informed, with news mostly passed down orally among the merchants. For example, the recent tensions between East and West, the theft of the Spear of St. Longinus from the Vatican, and the continued antics of the Dawn Star—the world was in constant turmoil, but most of it was irrelevant to Dorgon.

Dorron is a small country, a very small country, so small that even its port is named Dorron. This is because Dorron has only one city, which shares the same name as the country. The city is owned by the Duke of Dorron.

Since the Age of Exploration, Dorland has been an important port city. Although the city is not large, it is located at the crossroads of East and West, and merchant ships from all directions dock here, making Dorland's merchants very wealthy.

The current Duke of Dorrán is the third generation. After nearly a century of development, Dorrán has become a prosperous commercial city, known as the Pearl of the Sea. Many wealthy people are attracted by the freedom and stability here and choose to settle here, which has greatly accelerated the development of Dorrán and made it a commercial capital in a century. The only shortcoming is education. It is not that Dorrán is not developing well, but that there is a better Roland Academy in the north.

As a resident of such a peaceful city, life is always leisurely and pleasant. Here, you don't need to spend too much effort to find a job that can fill your stomach. If you do a good job and have extra money, you can spend a few copper coins to go to the tavern on the street and have a glass of fresh ale. You can drink with the dockworkers and street vendors in the tavern. However, that is usually after dusk, because for believers, the most important thing on Sunday, besides rest, is Mass and prayer.

Chapter 259 Merlin

Passing through layers of interconnected shops, from downhill to uphill, there stands a white church, its roof twinkling with a small fire, where some worshippers pray. The church isn't crowded; it's dinnertime, and most people leave after Mass and prayers. Some women exchange a few words with the priest before leaving, complaining about recent life and chatting about everyday matters, but they all return home slowly as evening falls, leaving mostly devout believers behind.

Kyle was looking for a devout believer.

Passing through the dark and narrow cross hall of the church, Father Dorrean was still talking to someone. Kyle did not greet him and went straight to the sanctuary in the center of the cross. The white-haired girl knelt before the icon with her hands clasped together and her eyes closed, her expression serene, like an ancient mural.

She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in a white nun's habit with a gold headscarf on her forehead. Her long white hair cascaded down her back. The girl's expression was devout and earnest as she prayed, making her look holy and ethereal. From a distance, the scene resembled an ancient mural. If a saint or spiritual power were present beside her, others would probably think she was an angel or a saint manifesting herself.

She was indeed a saint, the white-haired saint of the Papacy, or more precisely, the saint he had abducted from Tartarus.

Ignoring the unusual scene, Kyle walked up to the girl, bent down, and tapped her on the head to wake her. This was usually an affectionate gesture between siblings, but Kyle did it naturally. The girl wasn't angry; after a slight tremor, she opened her misty eyes, saw it was Kyle, rubbed her head where she had been tapped, and gently stood up.

The girl's pupils were a beautiful amber color. Perhaps because she had just finished praying, her eyes were somewhat hazy and childlike. When you looked into her eyes, you would find that the girl was also looking at you earnestly. She was serious with everyone, and it seemed that when she looked at you, you were the only one in her heart. When you looked into her eyes, you would feel that her pupils were like a clear lake, or as if there was nothing in them, or that they were what is called innocence.

The girl did indeed possess something called "purity," or rather, naiveté. In Kyle's words, she was utterly oblivious and naturally innocent. These days, only girls from the upper class possess this quality. She seemed completely ignorant of the outside world, showing curiosity towards everything she saw, but she was particularly serious about the church. It was only after spending three months with her that Kyle began to sketch out the girl's outline. She was like a pure white canvas, untouched by anyone's hand, so pristine and unblemished.

But now, this picture of purity has come to an end, and Kyle is about to defile the innocent girl.

After the girl stood up, Kyle gestured and led her to a corner of the church. Dorgon brought together cultures from all over the world, and the church's style was also influenced by Byzantium. The church was supported by heavy Roman columns. When no one was around, Kyle pulled the girl behind the marble column. After a sound of clothes rustling, the two figures blended into the darkness.

He wasn't worried about being seen. There were hardly any people in the church at the moment, and with his skills, he certainly didn't need to worry about being discovered.

It's practically a natural crime scene.

Drawn to the marble pillar by Kyle, the girl clearly resisted. However, Kyle only glanced at her before extending his hands. Knowing there was no way to avoid it, she tightly pulled her hands behind her back and squeezed her legs together, visibly nervous. Kyle was much taller than her; even when she looked up, she only reached his chest. Kyle's expression was indifferent as he looked down at her. To avoid being discovered, their bodies were very close, and the girl's breathing was noticeably rapid. Her slightly flushed face deliberately looked away.

“The saints in the church today are capable of debating scripture in the scholastic community and commanding armies; they are all national idols. How come you are just a little nun who can’t speak?” Kyle sighed.

The girl seemed not to understand what Kyle was saying. After blinking, she looked at him with her amber eyes, which made him feel somewhat helpless.

Incidentally, the girl's name was Talisa, which he chose for her.

Although she and the girl were hostage and kidnapper, the girl showed no awareness of being a hostage and knew almost nothing about the outside world. All she did every day was pray. Their relationship had changed from Kyle's one-sided wariness and vigilance to something like a guardianship relationship. Apart from her stubborn insistence on praying every day, the girl was a kind and obedient child who rarely disobeyed Kyle. If Kyle told her to go east, she would go east; if Kyle told her to go west, she would go west. If Kyle said she could go to church to pray for half an hour, she would definitely be back within 29 minutes and 59 seconds. As far as a daughter is concerned, she is quite easy to manage.

Before the sun had risen and the sky was still shrouded in the tranquil darkness, the black train rattled out of the tunnel.

Suddenly, the view opened up, revealing an endless vista. Silver mountains surrounded the train, which stopped precisely beside the wide platform. A dozen uniformed attendants disembarked and began unloading luggage, instantly making the platform lively.

Aaron also got off the train and watched as the waiters shouted as they carried luggage, box after box, off the train. The local carriages had been waiting for a long time. Once the carriages were full, they returned along the road they had come from and arrived in Merlin Town ahead of them.

Ottilia leaned sleepily against the train window. She had heard half an hour earlier that they were almost at their destination, so she had prepared early. However, the train was slow to arrive, and the train was warm inside, so the girl became sleepy again. When they finally arrived at their destination, she became drowsy.

"Miss Ottilia, the carriage is ready. Let's get off," said the chubby boy Dylan cautiously.

"Let me sleep a little longer..."

“Alright, it’ll probably take a while to move the luggage. We can take the carriage back in the back.” Dylan seemed to have anticipated this and sat down opposite Ottilia.

"Us?" asked a sleepy-eyed Ottilia.

"Yes, Lord Aaron has already gotten off the train and seems to be planning to leave by carriage."

Ottilia's eyes snapped open: "Wait, tell him to wait for me!"

In just a few seconds, a sleepy-eyed Ottilia appeared outside the car window. Aaron was outside, chatting with the local driver in the cold wind, when he suddenly heard a cough. Aaron turned around and saw Ottilia standing behind him, her face flushed.

"You're awake? I thought you were going to sleep a little longer."

Aaron stepped into the car and extended his hand to Ottilia: "Get in."

Ottilia was taken aback; this was not part of the original plan. The locals had obviously prepared a better carriage for her to ensure she could reach her destination comfortably.

Aaron invited her to ride in a rickshaw, which was clearly there to move goods. There wasn't even a seat on it, but it was spacious. She shouldn't have refused a luxury carriage for this dilapidated vehicle.

But Ottilia did not refuse. She took Aaron's hand and was pulled into the carriage by him. Then Aaron said to the driver, "Let's go. Our destination is Merlin Town."

"Sir, is this your girlfriend?" the driver asked cheerfully as he drove the chariot.

“No, she is your young lady,” Aaron said in the wind.

Although it was just a three-wheeled vehicle used for hauling goods, the scenery along the way was beautiful, with silver-encircled mountains all around and endless fields below, making one feel refreshed.

As the driver drove, he looked around and said, "I visited Asgard when I was young. Although this place is not as bustling as Asgard, you definitely can't see anything like this in Asgard."

Indeed, the scenery here is completely different from that of Asgard. The sky in Asgard is fragmented because it is a city full of huge buildings, but here you can look up and see a complete sky, and further away you can see the surrounding mountains, and beyond the mountains are endless fields. The sky is not yet fully bright, and walking under this huge sky with the cold wind blowing in your face gives you the feeling that you can go anywhere in the world.

"Wow………"

Breathing in the fresh air and watching the sun, moon, and stars shining brightly in the sky at five or six in the morning, Ottilia was suddenly moved.

If the weather weren't so cold, that would be even better. Ottilia exhaled a breath of cold air and couldn't help but rub her hands together. Although the weather was nice today, the air was still filled with the chill of February that hadn't yet dissipated, which couldn't compare to the warmth and comfort of the train.

"Here you go." As if by magic, Aaron handed her a warm croissant wrapped in paper.

Ottilia's eyes lit up immediately as she took the greasy croissant: "Where did you get this?"

"Actually, it was made by the chef on the bus. I just grabbed a few when I got off."

Not only Ottilia, but Aaron also gave some to himself and the coachman. Aaron didn't rely on cigarettes or alcohol; he started a conversation with the coachman over hot croissants.

The croissants were made by the chef on the train; they were fresh out of the oven and still a little hot to the touch. Ottilia might have found them a bit unappetizing at a dining table, but they were perfect for the weather. Ottilia took a bite of the croissant against the cold wind, swallowing the delicious butter and bread together, and felt the air was no longer so chilly.

After taking a few bites of the croissant, Ottilia thought that it would be even better if she could have some coffee or black tea to go with it. Sure enough, she saw Aaron hand her a dark green military water bag.

“What is this? Is this wine?” Ottilia asked.

"I had my servants in the car fill it up for me before I got out," Aaron said.

Ottilia took the water bag and took a small sip. It was indeed filled with strong, piping hot black tea. Because it was so hot, and because Ottilia had a cat-like tongue, she could only sip it with her little tongue sticking out, which looked very cute.

While Ottilia ate, Aaron looked ahead and said, "We've arrived at Merlin Town."

This is a small town with over a thousand households. Because it is located at the intersection of many roads, it has experienced both banditry and business opportunities, and at its peak, it became a small commercial hub connecting the north and south.

Because of its pleasant surroundings, this place was once a popular resort for nobles during a time when banditry was not a serious problem. However, it was not particularly prosperous overall, and the Laflesh family, who were the typical representatives of those who were content with modest wealth, remained the lords here until the discovery of the treasure.

About three months ago, a treasure was discovered 30 miles from Merlin, so the lord sent out a distress signal that same day, and the Marquis took over the matter.

It is said that at first there were only rumors that tons of gold had been unearthed there, and later there were rumors that there were minerals even more precious than gold, but the news was quickly blocked and the rumors only circulated among the townspeople. Then the Obsidian Knights moved in.

The arrival of the Obsidian Knights proved that there were indeed things more valuable than gold hidden there. However, once the Obsidian Knights arrived, those who coveted the mines would no longer try to take advantage of them.

Aaron's arrival was mainly a precautionary measure, to prevent those with ulterior motives from actually plotting to steal the treasure. As Enzo said, once they heard he was coming, they should stop making any moves.

Merlin Town has arrived. There's no need to ask for directions; everyone in Merlin Town knows that the nobles are holding a banquet tonight at the castle in the town center. People say that it's been a long time since the songs and music in the castle have sung from dusk till midnight. For several days now, most of the town's food and brews have been supplied to the castle. The entire town is busy with this rare grand event.

Aaron had heard that the music at the party would play from evening until late at night, and he originally thought he would have to wait until noon to see him. Unexpectedly, the young marquis was already up and looking very energetic. If it weren't for the fact that this marquis wanted to be his father, Aaron would have liked him quite a bit.

"Hahaha, Lord Aaron."

Marquis Klein did not follow the rigid aristocratic etiquette and embraced him like an old friend. Aaron had heard many people say that being with Marquis Klein always felt like being bathed in a spring breeze, and that was probably the feeling.

“Dad.” A cheerful voice came from the side; she had come with Aaron.

“Ottilia…” Marquis Klein embraced his daughter and led the two of them into the hall.

"You've finally arrived. I can't wait to introduce you to my friends. They had a party all night and are still in bed, but I bet they'll be shocked when they see you. A dignified Obsidian Knight has appeared in Merlin Town."

Aaron knew his noble friends. Although Klein was a marquis, he spent most of his time far away from Asgard, the center of power. But don't think that this meant they couldn't exert influence. It was said that Klein had a group of noble allies outside of Asgard.